What your sleep position says about you

Does the way in which you sleep reveal your true nature? One study concludes that it just might.

By: Melissa Breyer
November 21, 2014, 9:55 a.m.

Sleep positions
You don’t have to talk in your sleep to reveal secrets while slumbering. (Photo: Rugdal/Shutterstock)
Your dog breed, face shape, blood type … there’s no shortage of random attributes that are said to describe the inner you. Various researchers claim that Labrador owners are agreeable, people with wide faces are aggressive, if you have type A blood you are earnest and creative. We love to have our personality traits confirmed by external considerations.

And as it turns out, our character can even be assessed by the way we arrange our bodies while catching 40 winks, says one expert.

In a study about sleeping positions and personality, Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, analyzed six common sleeping positions and found correlations between slumbering posture and one’s true nature, reports the BBC.

“We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us,” says Idzikowski. “What’s interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect.”

Here’s what he found:

Fetus
woman sleeping in fetus position

Photo: Dima Sidelnikov/Shutterstock
Do you sleep curled up on your side? If so, you aren’t alone ­— it’s the position adopted by 41 percent of the 1,000 participants who took the survey. Those who sleep in the fetus position are said to be tough on the outside but sensitive at heart. And while shy upon first encounters, they open up quickly. More than twice as many women than men sleep in this position.

Freefall
woman sleeping in freefall sleep position

Photo: Igor Dutina/Shutterstock
If you sleep on your stomach with your hands up by your ears and your head turned to the side, Idzikowski’s study would mark you as a gregarious person, but one who is sensitive underneath and doesn’t like criticism or extreme situations. That said, sleeping in this position is great for your digestion!

Log
woman sleeping in the log position

Photo:
vgstudio
/Shutterstock
Do you sleep like a log? In terms of position, that is — lying on your side with both arms down straight along your torso. These sleepers are easy-going extroverts who like being part of the hip crowd. They trust strangers, and thus, can be gullible.

Soldier

woman sleeping in soldier position

Photo: Dima Sidelnikov/Shutterstock
Soldier sleepers recline on their backs with both arms straight down the sides, just like, you know, a soldier. Sleeping like this may suggest that you are quiet and reserved. You probably don’t like to fuss about things, but also have high standards. Note that this position often leads to snoring.

Yearner
man sleeping in yearner sleep position

Photo: wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock
If you sleep on your side with both arms out in front of your body, then according to Idzikowski you probably tend to have an open nature, but can be suspicious and cynical. Yearners are slow to make decisions, but once they’ve made up their mind they are determined not to change it.

Starfish

woman sleeping in starfish sleep position

Photo:
Igor Dutina
/Shutterstock
Do you sleep on your back with your arms up around your head, doing your best impression of a sea star? If so, you are probably a good friend to have, lending an ear to those in need and always willing to help out. Meanwhile, you don’t enjoy being the center of attention. Like soldier sleepers, starfish slumberers may be prone to snoring.

Bonus! And here’s a random detail just for kicks. Sleeping with one arm or leg sticking out from beneath the duvet was the most popular covering habit of those surveyed. Next popular was both feet sticking out the end. Only one in 10 people reported a preference for covering all limbs with their blankets. Now we need a study to reveal what that means.